President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 2025 State of the Nation Address was brimming with promises on healthcare, zero billing in Department of Health (DOH) hospitals, expanded PhilHealth coverage, and more infrastructure investments. But for the Health Workers Partylist, these pronouncements are symptomatic of a deeper malaise: a government that treats healthcare as a political talking point rather than a public right.
Their reaction is not just a critique, it’s a diagnosis. And the prognosis is grim unless systemic reforms are urgently pursued.
Despite claims of free services, the reality on the ground tells a different story:
– Contractual doctors in rural areas face job insecurity, undermining continuity of care.
– Public hospitals are overwhelmed, with patients waiting weeks or months for admission due to bed shortages.
– Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Service (BUCAS) programs, while promising, rely on already overworked and understaffed personnel.
– PhilHealth, once a pillar of public health financing, has been defunded and tainted by unresolved corruption scandals.
These are not isolated issues, they are interconnected failures that reflect chronic underinvestment, mismanagement, and political patronage.
The Health Workers Partylist rightly calls out the Medical Assistance to Indigent (MAIP) and Medical Assistance for Indigents and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) programs for fostering a culture of “pagmamakaawa,” where patients must beg for assistance from politicians, rather than receive it as a right. This undermines dignity and perpetuates inequality.
Meanwhile, billions lost to anomalies in PhilHealth, Pharmally, and the DOH remain unaccounted for. The President’s vow to fight corruption rings hollow when those responsible for past abuses remain untouched.
The Health Workers Partylist offers a clear and actionable alternative:
– Allocate 5% of GDP to health, in line with global standards.
– End contractualization and ensure livable wages, ₱36,000 minimum for health workers, ₱50,000 for nurses and allied professionals.
– Invest in barangay health stations**, rural health units, and public hospitals to expand access and capacity.
– Guarantee state-funded, truly free healthcare, not just in name, but in practice.
This is not just about budgets,it’s about values. It’s about recognizing healthcare as a public good, not a privilege.
The Health Workers Partylist’s commitment to mobilize alongside the people is a reminder that real change comes from collective action. Their vision is bold, but necessary: a healthcare system that is comprehensive, nationalistic, and people-centered.
No more band-aid solutions. It’s time for surgery.
